With the gaining popularity of mobile phones and mobile/tablet computers, augmented reality applications are becoming more approachable by the general public. Augmented reality promises to provide new ways for people to interact with both the real world and virtual world. However, as the augmented reality and virtual realities becomes more widely accepted, there are numerous challenges to create an interface understandable by a wide variety of users. One aspect of augmented reality is that the interface elements are typically tied to real world objects and thus the interface may seem inconsistent based on the environment being augmented. Thus, there is a need in the virtual and augmented reality field to create a new and useful method for transitioning between interface modes.
Accordingly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method for transitioning a user interface between operational modes. The method of the preferred embodiment can include detecting an orientation of a user interface, wherein the orientation of the user interface includes an imaginary vector originating at the user interface and intersecting a surface of an imaginary sphere disposed about the user interface. The method of the preferred embodiment can further include rendering a first view in the user interface in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the surface at a first latitudinal position; and rendering a second view in the user interface in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the surface at a second latitudinal position.
A second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method for transitioning a user interface between viewing modes. The method of the preferred embodiment can include detecting an orientation of a mobile terminal including a user interface disposed on a first side of the mobile terminal, wherein the orientation of the mobile terminal includes an imaginary vector originating at a second side of the mobile terminal and projecting in a direction substantially opposite the first side of the mobile terminal. The method of the preferred embodiment can also include transitioning between at least two viewing modes in response to the imaginary vector intersecting an imaginary sphere disposed about the mobile terminal at a first latitudinal point having a predetermined relationship to a critical latitude of the sphere.
A third preferred embodiment of the present invention can include an apparatus including a user interface including a display on which at least two viewing modes are visible to a user. The apparatus of the preferred embodiment can also include an orientation module configured to determine a three-dimensional orientation of the user interface, wherein the three dimensional orientation can include an imaginary vector originating at the apparatus and intersecting a surface of an imaginary sphere disposed about the apparatus. The apparatus of the preferred embodiment can also include a processor connected to the user interface and the orientation module and adapted to manage a transition between the at least two viewing modes in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the imaginary sphere at a first latitudinal point having a predetermined relationship to a critical latitude of the sphere.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments made with reference to the appended figures.